gung1 kyut3公決公决
Jyutpinggung1 kyut3
Yalegūng kyut
Definition
Referendum; a direct vote by all electors on a particular issue.
neutralother
How it's used
Refers specifically to a direct vote by the electorate on a single political issue rather than a general election for candidates. It carries a formal tone often associated with political activism or constitutional debates. While it appears in news and formal discourse, it is rarely used in casual daily conversation.
Measure word
ci3次chiExamples
The government decided to hold a referendum on this matter.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 選舉, which is used for electing people to office. Using it to describe a general election will sound incorrect to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
